The Green Hornet: In the Midst of Shadows
by DARK KNIGHT of the MOON
Summary: The Green Hornet must stop a notorious jewel thief who has set his sites on Detroit. As if he didn't have enough to deal with, the Hornet meets a mysterious stranger who helps him take the jewel thief down. A Green Hornet/Shadow crossover.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 **

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story stems from an idea I had for a Shadow crossover. I didn't want to do someone as obvious as Batman, but at the same time was aware enough to not pair him with someone that couldn't be of his specific time period either. I feel that some characters, and their respective worlds, are far too different to ever actually cross paths. So I guess I had been a fan of The Green Hornet for years, at least since I heard the old radio programs. Even though many folks seem to only appreciate the television show, I've always thought the radio version of the Hornet, if played the right way, can be and is just as dark and sinister as the Shadow himself. I wish to mention that the Hornet is not specific to any location, but the radio show supposedly took place in Detroit, Michigan. So here it is, a story that is really more of a Green Hornet tale, with a guest appearance from our beloved Master of Darkness. This shows what might happen if these two characters were to ever meet.**

**NEW YORK CITY- circa 1945**

It was a usual night in the city that never sleeps. As countless automobiles crowded the narrow avenues and hordes of people walked the brightly lit streets, two men stood outside the front of _The Hotel Metrolite, _talking.

"Well Mr. Vincent, if you don't have time for a drink, at least let me pay your cab fare," offered a rather large man in a gray derby hat and cheap leather coat.

"No thanks Frank. I'm usually pretty particular about my cab rides anyway," Harry Vincent replied, shaking the man's hand. "I'll see you later," he finished as a bright yellow taxicab that appeared brand-new rolled up alongside the curb to collect him.

As he got in the cab, it pulled away hastily. Vincent greeted the driver. "Hello Moe."

"Hey Mr. Vincent. What do you suppose tonight's meeting is for? The boss must have somethin' important for us, because the whole gang's gonna be there," Moe Shrevnitz acknowledged.

"Maybe it's a new mission. I know agents aren't supposed to talk about their work, but if my next assignment is anything like my last one, boy I don't know what I'm gonna do, Vincent said."

"Yeah, go crazy probably," Shrevnitz agreed, as the impressive cab pulled up to a deserted, grimy, brick building somewhere in downtown.

After taking a moment to park the taxi on a nearby side street, Shrevnitz and Vincent approached the building's entrance through a dark side alley. A heavy, iron door was all that guarded the place from the outside. Shrevnitz pounded the door hard with a series of distinct knocks. The iron door slid into the brick siding, revealing a large entrance with steps descending into blackness.

Vincent trotted down the steps of the entrance, with Shrevnitz right behind him. The door closed abruptly, signaling that they were now inside the Shadow's lair, otherwise known as the secret Sanctum. The main purpose of this mysterious and utterly macabre place was to serve as a communication's headquarters for the Shadow and his agents. The site was well equipped with some of the latest technology, even a closed-circuit television screen.

As the two men who had just arrived entered the first room, they were greeted by the Shadow's primary group of agents; Margo Lane, Joe Cardona, Clyde Burke, Cliff Marsland and Roy Tam. Each of these agents, like Vincent and Shrevnitz, served a special purpose for the Shadow and was loyal enough to stand ready, whenever the Shadow needed them.

As all of the agents who were present entered the second and most important room of the Sanctum together, they were greeted by the menacing figure of the Shadow, seated at a desk in the center of the room, under a blue light. The black cloaked man was as still as a statue, barely paying any mind to his newly arrived agents.

The agents proceeded, as they always do, to a finely crafted round table in a far corner of the dark room. Once they were all seated, the Master of Darkness arose from the desk and loomed over to his agents and began briefing them.

"I have called this clandestine meeting to inform each of you of jewel theft. Many jewel thefts in fact, in Detroit Michigan. These robberies have garnered national attention, because they have been going on for so long. Nearly every jeweler in that city has been bankrupted. I would send one of you to figure out exactly who is behind this, but I am curious and most of you are already preoccupied with other cases. I have informed Burbank of my departure, and if you need him for any reason, send a message to the usual address. While I'm gone, I need you all to continue your usual duties as agents. I leave tomorrow. Keep the city safe. That is all."

Without any questions, the agents rose from the table, and exited the Sanctum, all except Margo Lane, who was curious as to why the Shadow had decided to exclude her from his trip to Detroit. Making sure the other agents had left, she began to harass him.

"Lamont, I mean Shadow. Why are you not taking me with you? I have accompanied you on most of your missions. Why should this one be any different?"

"The reason Margo, is because there is grave danger in Detroit. I would not send any agent somewhere that I wouldn't be prepared to go myself."

"So is that all I am, an agent?"

"Margo, please understand, I need my agents in New York City."

"I see," Margo Lane affirmed, wrapping her fur coat around her and heading for the door. "Well Mr. Cranston, we'll do what we always do as responsible agents of the Shadow. We'll look for trouble," she continued, smiling, then finally leaving the Sanctum.

* * *

The next evening, Lamont Cranston's chartered twin engine airplane descended through the cool Midwestern air, finally touching down with great force, then speeding across the runway of a small airport . The aircraft turned sharply to reduce speed and after a few moments was completely shut down. Immediately Cranston and the pilot exited the vessel to collect Cranston's baggage.

"Well Mr. Cranston, this is Detroit. You been here before?" the pilot asked, loading a large bag into a Rolls-Royce that had previously arrived at the airport.

"I'm sure I've come across this place in my travels, yes" Cranston acknowledged placing the last of the luggage into the limo seat.

"Well," the pilot declared. "The chauffeur will take you to your hotel. If there is nothing else that you require, I will return to New York."

"Right. That's fine, and thank you."

"The pleasure was all mine," the pilot uttered with a bow, before returning to the plane.

Cranston gave his new subject, the chauffeur, a few monetary notes and entered the car. Soon, the Rolls-Royce was off, en route to the nearest five-star hotel. The evening was cool and Cranston noticed that, after being here for only ten minutes, Detroit while still a big city, was almost completely different from New York City. Sure, there were many people and buildings, but it seemed that the busy, snobbish attitudes of New York did not exist here.

"Whatever possessed you to come to the Midwest Mr. Cranston?" the driver asked, keeping his eyes on the road ahead.

"I'm here on business," Cranston lied convincingly.

"Oh yeah what kind?"

"I'm here for a fundraiser for some local politician. You know that sort of boring nonsense."

"Oh I see. Well, it ain't New York, but I sure do hope you enjoy your trip."

"I'm sure I will, thanks."

"Well, it looks like we're here Sir," the driver exclaimed, as the car strolled into a massive parking lot that was positioned in front of a brilliantly lit and elegant yet monolithic hotel.

From out of the car Cranston came, pulling his bags from the seat with great force.

"Do you not want any help Sir?" the driver laughed, exiting the driver's seat in a hurry.

"It's alright, just have them sent to my room," Cranston ordered, handing the man some cash for his services.

Cranston wasted no time checking in. As he entered the hotel lobby, he took a moment to marvel at the beauty of it all. The place possessed a beautiful elegance, the kind Lamont Cranston was used to. It looked fancy, without trying too hard to do so, with its satin curtains, elegant diamond chandeliers and polished marble floors. The lobby gave way to a large hall, which housed three large elevators and led to a cafe. As he approached the front desk, Cranston noticed a young woman, ready to serve him.

"Welcome to the Antoine Tollin Hotel, may I have your name?" the woman's petite voice sounded.

"I am Lamont Cranston."

"Ah yes, the man who made reservations two days ago. We've got you in Room 315. It's on the sixth floor at the end of the hall. Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you Miss," Cranston pronounced, promptly heading toward the elevator, on the way to his room.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The next afternoon lead to scorching temperatures, something that Detroit wasn't too familiar with. Britt Reid, owner and publisher of the city's leading newspaper, _The Daily Sentinel_, sat in his large office on the 5th floor, involved in a meeting with two very young, impressive looking detectives from the 52nd precinct.

"Mr. Reid," a clean-cut gentleman in an overcoat started. "The reason we're here is to try to persuade you, as well as every other newspaper in the city to stop publishing stories about these jewel heists."

"Are you two gentlemen on the case?" Reid questioned.

"Well no, we were assigned to go 'round to the papers. The press is mucking up the investigation. Now, I'm sure you understand the gravity of the situation," the second detective continued.

"Unlike many newsman, I'm not going to stand in the way of investigation. I'll stop printing things about the jewel thefts," Reid decided. "Provided that you leave. You better hurry to; one of my reporters, a Mr. Axford, is a bit testy with men who presume to tell my paper what can be published here. Sorry gentlemen, but we are a very busy paper."

"Oh yes Sir. We know Mike. He comes to the station all the time. Thank you Mr. Reid."

"Good day to you, gentlemen."

"Goodbye Sir," the second detective said, as the two men hastily left the office.

Britt Reid sat back in his luxurious office chair, then pressed the intercom, ringing for Lenore Case, his secretary. "Miss Case, tell Gunnigan to scrap all stories involving the jewel heists. And hold all of my calls. I'm going out for the rest of the day."

"Yes Sir Mr. Reid," the secretary responded.

Knowing that his assistant editor Gunnigan would handle everything else for the day, the newspaper man leapt from his chair, grabbed his overcoat and exited his office. As he rode the elevator down, he wondered where these jewelers would strike next. As his vigilant alter ego the Green Hornet, he had been tracking them for nearly three months. Departing from the elevator, he quickly exited The Daily Sentinel building. Reaching a side street, he noticed Kato, his faithful Asian valet, parked with his car, a shiny beige _Packard_, directly behind the Sentinel. As Reid got in, he greeted Kato and the car sped away.

* * *

That night, Britt Reid and Kato were in Reid's apartment, going over what they knew about the jewel heist. Normally the Green Hornet infiltrated a crook's mad scheme, by posing as a criminal and muscling in on the action. But these jewel thieves were different. They were taking great pains to ensure that no one would get involved in their operation. All the Hornet had been able to do so far was spy on these heist-men.

The two of them raced into Reid's bedroom and opened his closet door. Pulling a lever behind a tie rack, the wall in the back of the closet collapsed, revealing a secret passage. The two men entered and went down a narrow, dimly lit hall that lead to a building behind Britt Reid's apartment. This building was on the back of a street and appeared deserted, but actually this building housed the Black Beauty, streamlined car of the Green Hornet, as well as the Hornet's costume and arsenal. The only entrance to the place was through the tunnel that Reid and Kato had installed from the back of his closet.

Reid quickly changed into a dark suit and green trench coat, and then mounted a mask that covered the lower half of his face like some diabolical surgeon. Quickly putting on a pair of black gloves, he topped the ensemble with a green fedora. Kato adorned his chauffeur's suit and gentleman's cap, and then placed his black mask over his eyes. The Green Hornet grabbed his signature gas gun and the pair entered the specially modified, black limousine, the Black Beauty. Kato took to the wheel as the Hornet rode shotgun and as the marvelous machine came to a roar, it shot out of a secret access route that opened only at the sound of a hornet-like buzz made by the Black Beauty's defective car horn.

As the Black Beauty exited from the wall of a vacant alleyway, behind the supposedly abandoned building, the Green Hornet checked his watch. The time was eight-thirty. It was just beginning to get dark, so he knew there was still time to watch out for those jewel thieves. Minutes later, the car raced through downtown Detroit and turned off of 3rd and Water Streets, the last known hideout of these jewel thieves. The actual hideout was on a dirty street with decrepit buildings and dilapidated signs. Suddenly the car came to a complete stop as Kato parked on the side of the street. As the two men exited the Black Beauty, each hoped that this hideout was still in use, for it had been sometime since the Hornet and his aid had checked there.

They came upon the entrance of the place. A large boarded up door with a "KEEP OUT" sign, indicated that the place was condemned. The Hornet snapped his fingers and, with great speed and precision, Kato kicked in the entrance. As the Hornet entered the place, his eyes quickly adjusted to complete darkness. The place was completely abandoned. Pulling a flashlight from his coat pocket, the Hornet began looking for clues. He and Kato moved about the place, looking for something, anything that might provide a hint to the jewel gang's current whereabouts.

As Kato moved to the center of the hideout, a large room lined with dusty furniture and old file cabinets, he spotted instantly something. A nightmarish form, almost invisible, in a long black shroud and wide brimmed fedora stood rummaging through old files and documents. Perhaps the mysterious figure was doing his own investigation into these recent jewel heist.

Kato stared intently, careful not to alert the stranger of his presence. Unexpectedly and as fast as lightening, the figure turned, staring at Kato with almost wicked eyes. Kato looked on in surprise as sudden laughter emanated from all around the room.

"Who are you?" Kato asked as the laughter continued. "What business do you have here?"

As the laughter subsided, the sinister man replied, "I might ask you the same question."

Without warning, the Hornet appeared behind Kato. Shifting quickly in front of his aid, he pulled the gas gun, aiming it at the figure in the corner.

"Who are you?" the Hornet questioned loudly. "Are you with the jewel thieves?" He waited for an answer but the mysterious figure remained quiet.

"Answer me," the Hornet demanded, advancing toward the corner, then pulling the trigger.

Instantly, a thick green smog filled the room, almost illuminating the darkness. Then, just as quickly as it had come, the knockout gas was gone. But to the Hornet and Kato's surprise, so was the mysterious stranger. He had vanished instantly. The Hornet and Kato looked perplexedly at each other, because there was no way this guy could've gotten past them. They blocked the only entrance into the room and the stranger seemingly evaporated as easily as the gas from the Hornet's gun.

The two men began a search for the mysterious stranger, which eventually turned cold. They continued looking for clues in every room of the old hideout, but found nothing so they decided to leave.

As they arrived back to the street, the Hornet and Kato reentered the Black Beauty. As Kato pulled away from the street, en route to home, he and the Hornet began talking.

"You know something Kato, that guy looked a bit frightening. I honestly don't know what to make of him."

"You think he's with the jewel gang?" Kato asked.

"I don't know. We can't be sure of who he is or why he was there for that matter. But enough about that Kato, the jewel gang has moved."

"It would seem so," Kato replied, keeping his eyes on the road.

"Wait a minute, I just had a disturbing thought. What if that strange fellow we just saw made off with the only clues that the gang left behind?"

"It would make sense Sir. When I first saw him, he was reading something. Maybe he got the only clues."

"If he did, then he must have some stake in this. We have to be careful," the Hornet declared, as the long black car suddenly picked up speed and raced through the night.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next afternoon was extremely hectic, as Britt Reid sat in his office at The Daily Sentinel. He was talking with Mike Axford, a seemingly jolly, slightly overweight and very loose-lipped man in his forties, that looked as if years of stress had taken their toll on him. Mike was the Sentinel's crime correspondent, and as such was often seen in Reid's office, scowling over the latest big crime story.

"I tell ya' Reid, the Hornet has to be involved. He's involved with every other crime in town, including that jewel gang everyone's talking about," Axford declared. He had always been an avid hater of the Hornet and was always blaming him for anything he could think of.

"How can you be sure Mike?" Reid laughed slightly as Miss Case buzzed in over the intercom. "Yes Miss Case?"

"Mr. Reid, your three o'clock is here," the secretary offered, alerting the publisher of his next appointment.

"Send him in," Reid acknowledged. "You'll have to excuse me Mike, duty calls."

"Got it. See ya' later Reid," Axford pronounced, heading for the door.

As Axford left, in walked a tall, lanky, well dressed man in a gray suit with an obvious mustache.

"Good afternoon. You're the private investigator?" Reid questioned.

"Britt Reid I presume," the man said, taking a seat before introducing himself. "My name is Henry Arnaud. I am told this is the finest newspaper in the city. I am investigating the jewel heists that have been happening in this city and was wondering if you could help me."

"Well, there is a problem. You see Mr. Arnaud, the city has issued cease and desist orders to all the editors. No one is legally within their right to publish anymore stories regarding this matter."

"Well, that is a problem. Perhaps I could take a look into your archives and look at past publications for clues in my investigation. I'm willing to pay for your services."

"That won't be necessary. However, you'll have to come back tomorrow. You see the archives are shut down at two-thirty every afternoon."

"Okay, is tomorrow about one o'clock good for you?" the strange P.I. asked.

"That will do fine. Is there anything else?"

"That will be all. Thank you Mr. Reid," the man stood up, straightening his suit. "Good day," he finished walking out the door.

"Good day," Reid muttered softly, wondering what to make of the man he had just met.

* * *

Later that evening, Henry Arnaud was in the Antoine Tollin Hotel. He quickly approached Room 315, the suite of Lamont Cranston. As he quietly crept into the room, he immediately ditched his sport coat and fedora, hanging them on a rack that was positioned in a far corner of the room. Approaching a large mirror in the center of the luxurious suite, he stared intensely into it, covering his face with his hands.

Suddenly, the man in the mirror began a weird transformation. His facial features distorted until, like magic, Henry Arnaud had disappeared. In his place stood the familiar face of Lamont Cranston.

Flashing a cavalier smile through the mirror, Cranston giggled to himself, before sauntering toward the wet bar and pouring himself a dry bourbon. Falling back into an easy chair, he turned on the radio and listened closely to a scratchy news broadcast:

… _In other news, there have not been any known jewel thefts in nearly two weeks. This lack of activity has many folks wondering, have these racketeers gone cold? Is there some mad plot to control Detroit's jewel trade? And what of the dreaded Green Hornet? Is he involved with this jewel gang? Hold a moment… Yes folks, you heard it here first. As we speak, a break-in is happening at the Gray Street Jewelry and Customs shop on the corner of Gray and Tenth Streets. _

Cranston turned off the radio. He knew instantly what he had to do. If the Shadow was going to bring these thieves to justice, he had to act fast.

* * *

Meanwhile, a large, black armored van was parked behind the deserted Gray Street Jewelry and Customs building, just outside downtown. The vehicle's two heavy back doors promptly opened, as six men, clad in dark clothing, leapt out into the cover of night. Two men suddenly joined them from the front of the vehicle and the group slowly converged at a hefty glass door, the back entrance to the unprotected jewelry store.

Wielding a crowbar, one of the men shattered the transparent entryway, suddenly triggering an alarm. As the group entered, the darkness was almost enough to overcome them. Two men with flashlights immediately moved to the far end of the shop, almost instantly tripping the security system. The rest of the goons worked as efficiently as possible, shattering glass jewelry counters, then placing their contents into large bags. One man even moved to a large safe, utilizing an electric drill to open it. Before he could unlock it however, the goon was unexpectedly met with a strike to the head. Immediately stepping out of the darkness, the Green Hornet made his presence known.

"Evening gentlemen, this looks like quite a party."

"It's the Green Hornet," one goon cried out, gripping a crowbar.

"That's right gentlemen, and I'm here for the payoff," the Hornet declared, sounding especially confident.

"Look Hornet, if you want a cut, your gonna have to talk to the boss," a thug informed heatedly.

"Maybe I do. Where can I find your boss?"

"We ain't talkin' Hornet," another goon replied.

"Is that so? Well, I've been watching you, ya' know. I like how you work. I could be a valuable asset to your operation."

"That's for the boss to decide."

"Have it your way. Tell him I wanna meet."

"Will do," another goon answered. "Let's go, fellas."

"You're not going anywhere," a voice mysteriously came from nowhere.

Immediately the goons and the Hornet looked around, searching for the source of the voice.

"Hornet, do you know who said that?" one of the goons uttered.

"He doesn't have to know," the voice came again.

Almost instantly, the ever-present silhouette of a man appeared on a far wall. From out of the silhouette, came The Shadow, standing directly before them. With automatics in hand, he blasted away at the ceiling for sake of intimidation.

"He's packin," another goon screamed. "Let's get outta here."

"You're not going anywhere," the Hornet called out. "I want some answers."

Not paying any attention to the Hornet's outburst, the goons began to leave anyway. As they tried to escape, the Shadow fired a few warning shots, but the sound of his automatics was quickly drowned out by loud sirens. The police had shown up and they were something that all parties, including the Shadow, needed to avoid at all cost.

As the goons exited through the back, the Shadow also disappeared. As quickly as he had entered, the eerie figure melted back into the wall, as if abducted by the dimness of the room. Suddenly three cops entered the store, with guns drawn. The Hornet quickly drew his own firearm, spraying the police with a wave of green gas, sending each cop to the floor.

With no time to spare, the Green Hornet exited the same way the jewel thieves had moments before. As more officers entered the place, checking on their comatose partners, they hurried to the back of the store where they noticed a familiar black limousine speeding away into the night.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

An hour had passed since the heist at the Gray Street jewelry store. The mysterious jewel gang had fled the scene, and the Shadow was nowhere to be found. The Green Hornet and Kato had returned to their hideout, behind Britt Reid's apartment, and were going over the night's events.

"The jewel gang escaped. We had them in our grasp. Why didn't we follow them?" Kato asked his friend.

"We had bigger things to worry about Kato. The police were right there," the Hornet uttered, moving to a far corner, to a table, to properly store his gas gun.

"So was that strange masked man. Did you see what happened to him?"

"He disappeared. I don't know how he does it. It's almost as if he possesses the power of invisibility."

"That's strange," Kato suggested.

From out of nowhere, the familiar laugh of the Shadow rang through the hideout. Immediately, the Hornet grabbed the gas gun, loading a small green capsule into the chamber.

"Where are you? Show yourself stranger," the Hornet demanded.

Suddenly and without words, the familiar silhouette became visible on a dark wall across the room. Soon after, a man materialized saying, "the weed of crime bears bitter fruit. Crime does not pay."

"Who are you stranger?" Kato questioned, staring intently at the Shadow.

"I have many names, but to criminals like you, I am known as The Shadow."

"Criminals? Wait, we're not the bad guys," Kato informed.

"Do not lie to me Chinaman," the Shadow called out. "I've seen the Hornet in the papers. You are public enemy number one in this city."

"Listen Mr. Shadow," the Hornet corrected. "We're vigilantes. We pose as criminals to infiltrate the criminal underbelly in Detroit. That's all."

"Crime fighters?" the Shadow asked confusedly.

"Yes," Kato offered.

The Shadow didn't know why, but something about these men seemed decent. Somehow he could tell that these men were indeed on the right side of the law.

"What is it your after Shadow, and how'd you get in here?" the Hornet asked with a hint of suspicion in his voice. He could not believe that somehow this mysterious man had invaded his hideout.

"I want to find out exactly who you are. You're quite a legend in this town, Hornet," the Shadow affirmed, moving across the room, as if inspecting the hideout.

"So how'd you get in here?" Kato repeated the question.

"I simply followed you, and I must say, I am quite impressed with your car, and this place."

"Thank you, I think. Kato assembled most of my arsenal," the Hornet finished, realizing he was getting off subject. "You are quite elusive," the Hornet proclaimed, returning to his interrogation of the Shadow.

"I have many talents."

"That's apparent," Kato offered. "We can barely see you half the time."

"The clouded mind sees nothing."

"Alright, so let's end this babble," the Hornet shouted impatiently. "Just exactly who's side are you on Shadow?"

"I take no sides. I only exist to serve and uphold justice."

"Then it looks like you've got yourself some allies," the Hornet announced smiling.

Pacing to the center of the room, he extended his hand to the Shadow. Hesitant at first, the Master of Darkness eventually rushed forward, accepting the offer with a firm handgrip.

* * *

The next morning, Lenore Case and Mike Axford were in Britt Reid's office talking.

"You know boss, that man that was in here yesterday -," Casey started.

"Oh you mean the spiffy looking fella with the odd mustache?" Axford recognized.

"Yes Mike," the secretary laughed giddily. "Who is he boss? He's gorgeous."

"Not too gorgeous I hope," Reid said mockingly.

"Do I detect a hint of jealousy Mr. Reid?" Miss Case teased.

"He's a private eye," the publisher informed, quickly changing the subject. "I'm meeting with him in a few minutes as a matter of fact."

"Is he trying to find these gangsters Reid. I doubt he will, I mean nobody knows anything," Axford stated enthusiastically.

"Alright you two, leave me. He should be here any minute," Reid ordered.

As Axford and Miss Case walked out of his office, the oddly debonair Henry Arnaud was waiting at the secretary's desk with some freshly cut roses. For the first time in a long time, Lenore Case began to blush.

"Why, Mr. Arnaud. How thoughtful of you."

"It was difficult to find a gift for someone so beautiful," the well dressed man stated.

Britt Reid watched casually from his office door, but decided he had seen enough. "Mr. Arnaud, I'm ready for you," he called out in a semi-friendly tone.

Arnaud looked at the secretary and whispered, "Dinner Tonight at Eight, I'll get your address when I'm finished with your boss."

As Miss Case agreed, the suave private investigator gave her a wink and turned his attention to Britt Reid, who immediately led the man to the archives section of the Daily Sentinel building.

* * *

That night, at Charletto's, one of Detroit's finest eateries, Henry Arnaud sat with Miss Case in a secluded section of the restaurant. They laughed and drank wine, engaging in many different conversations.

"So, this town must see a lot of action, with this gangster running around," Arnaud commented. "What is he called, the bee, the wasp?"

"The Green Hornet," Miss Case reminded.

"Oh yes, of course," the man conveniently remembered.

"So what are you working on now Henry?" Casey asked, trying to seem interested.

"Oh it's nothing really, just boring detective work."

"That must be so exciting, being a detective I mean."

"Yes, well it has it's moments."

"So what's your boss' story Miss Case?"

"Not so formal please, we are on a date after all. Call me Casey, all my friends do," Miss Case suggested. "And as for Mr. Reid, there's not much to tell I'm afraid. He's just a bored playboy turned workaholic. You see he inherited his family's fortune, as well as his father's newspaper. It's pretty much his passion."

"That's nice," Arnaud replied, sipping some more wine.

"So why did you ask me on this date? Was it to pump me for information about my boss, or the Green Hornet? Is this about work, some investigation?" Miss Case started to fume.

"Calm down Casey, I'm just a curious man. You know I really -."

Without warning, Arnaud's words were cut short by a piercing scream from the other side of the restaurant. Then suddenly, rapid gunfire boomed above the boisterous noise of the crowded restaurant. The sound of shattering glass could have deafened anyone that was near. Screams became more and more frequent, as large, heavily armed thugs moved throughout the place.

Approaching the secluded table that Arnaud and Miss Case were seated at, a rough looking burly goon grabbed the beautiful, young secretary and threw her over his shoulder. Trying in vain to free herself from the hood's clutches, she screamed for her date to save her.

"Stop. Let her go," Arnaud called out in a frantic howl.

As soon as the burly goon disappeared around a corner, Arnaud himself exited out the back of the restaurant, vanishing into a small storeroom behind the place. Moments later, the private investigator was nowhere to be found, and from out of the storeroom stepped the familiar figure of the Shadow, clad all in black with a broad-brimmed fedora and crimson scarf covering his features.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

All was quiet at Britt Reid's apartment, as he and Kato, seated at the kitchen table, were going over the night's plans.

"Remember, Kato, just a quick sweep of the city. We need -."

Britt Reid's words were suddenly interrupted by a loud, shrill beeping noise, coming from Reid's bedroom. The two men raced to the bedroom, where Reid immediately deactivated a faux smoke detector, that served as an alert for the Green Hornet. Pulling the lever behind the tie rack, they quickly entered the dimly lit hall en route to the building that served as the Hornet's hideout.

Upon entering, Reid immediately noticed a green LED that hung on the far wall was flashing. This LED was triggered by a small wire-transmitter that Lenore Case kept in her purse. Britt Reid panicked, as he knew that his secretary only set off the device when she was in danger.

"It's Miss Case!" Kato realized as he looked at the flashing light.

"Yes, Kato. Get the gas gun ready. I'll drive. We can track her signal on the scanner."

With that, Britt Reid moved to his arsenal and began suiting up. Then, once he and Kato were ready, they swiftly entered the Black Beauty. As the car roared to life, the Hornet activated the scanner. Once the access door opened, the car zoomed out of the back alley, like a bat out of hell.

* * *

Minutes later, the group of goons from the restaurant sat nervously at a large table in a boardroom at an old, abandoned cathedral on the outskirts of town. The men were waiting on their boss, when suddenly he rushed frantically into the room and approached the large table.

The leader of this jewel gang, aptly named Johnny Sapphire, was a petty car thief, before being involved in a horrific accident that cost him his left eye. He did time in prison for three years, where he developed a love for gems. After escaping, the desperate criminal formed a heist gang and soon was at the top of Detroit's underworld.

"All right, boys, it's done. I locked the girl in the basement myself. She's a beauty too," Sapphire informed, rearranging his artificial eye that was made from a precious blue sapphire jewel.

Staring at their boss, the men cringed. The man's eye was difficult to look at directly. Everything about Johnny Sapphire was flamboyantly decadent, from his slick black hair to his finely crafted bright blue suit. A tall man with a love for jewels, he wore a sapphire necklace and sported diamond rings on each of his chubby digits.

"Listen, Johnny," one of the henchmen spoke up. "Why did you decide to bring us to this musty old church?"

"Is there a problem, O'Neil?"

"No boss, it's just that this place kind of gives some of the boys the creeps."

"What? Now my gang has become a bunch of pansies, is that it?" the gangster declared madly.

"No, boss it's the cops and the Hornet. We're like the biggest news that Detroit's had for three months."

"This place was the most inconspicuous joint I could find. Plus, you don't need to worry about the cops remember. We bought the Mayor and the Commissioner off last week. That's why their boys went to every paper in town and forced them to stop printing about us. That's why we kidnapped that broad from the Sentinel. She's insurance."

"And what about the Green Hornet?" another hoodlum muttered.

"If the Hornet and his gang butt in, I'll fry 'em. That is unless he's got a proposition and wants to help us. Listen boys, don't worry about nothin'. We almost have the entire city's jewel trade in our grasp."

Abruptly, a goon raced into the room panicking. "Boss, Vince just saw a long black car pull up outside the church."

"Oh?" Sapphire spoke with confidence. "It's the Hornet's car. How the hell did he find us? No matter. I was hoping he wouldn't find us, but now we may be able to do business."

"You want us to hold him off?" another thug asked.

"Let that rat come. I'll make sure we deal with him one way or another."

* * *

Moments later, the Green Hornet and Kato strolled confidently into the boardroom. Various members of the gang sat at the board table, while Kato kept still at the door, watching everything. The Hornet and Johnny Sapphire talked, pacing about the room, keeping the conversation strictly to business.

"So, you want in on my operations?" the mobster said proudly.

"Yes, but you can keep your rocks Sapphire. I want a cut. I'm asking for half of everything."

"Fifty percent? Are you nuts. No partner is worth that much, even the Green Hornet," Sapphire pronounced angrily.

"No? Well now Sapphire, you're the typical gangster, with a full compliment of goons to your credit. If I'm to protect you from rival gangs and the police, my services won't come cheap."

"I won't do it Hornet, it's highway robbery. Besides I've already bought off the cops."

"Well, that's interesting. Tell me how did you do it?" the Hornet sounded intrigued.

"I just paid the Mayor and the Commissioner well, and their guys went around to the papers with orders."

Suddenly, as Sapphire spoke, a weird, chilling laugh resonated throughout the church."

"It's that laugh?" a goon said glancing around, recognizing the menacing laughter of the Shadow from the Gray Street Jewelry Store.

"That ghost is back," another declared.

"He ain't no ghost. He's a trigger happy freak. Boss, it's that guy we were telling you about."

"How'd he get in here?" the head mobster wondered.

"He's been here since you're men came back with that girl," the Hornet informed.

"Where the hell are you? Come out," Sapphire uttered as the laughter continued.

"I'll cut you a break since you've already taken care of the cops. I can call him off, if you give me thirty-five percent Johnny," the Hornet promised.

"You're in cahoots? What is this a double cross?" the gangster wondered worriedly.

"He's a member of my gang Johnny, posing as a gangbuster. You better agree to my terms."

"Fine. We have a deal as long as he doesn't shoot up my boys," Sapphire sighed. "Now make him come out."

"All right Shadow, come out," the Hornet commanded.

Suddenly, as he had done many times before, the Shadow appeared out of a dimly lit wall in a far corner of the room. The Shadow walked over to the Hornet, glancing ominously at the gangsters seated at the table.

"The Shadow. I heard some boys in the joint talk about you. They said you was the scariest man God ever put on this earth."

"We're done here," the Hornet stated to the Shadow, who ignored Sapphire's comment.

"All right, so you'll keep the headlines busy Hornet, while we continue our robberies?"

"That's right, Sapphire. And as my first official act as your partner, I'll take care of the girl you abducted tonight."

"But I need her for insurance so that those damn papers don't start up again," Sapphire argued.

"She'll squeal. We can't let her live," the Hornet countered abruptly.

"Well, you are ruthless, Hornet. All right, but make it look like a suicide."

"Whatever you say, Johnny. Kato, fetch the girl."

With that, Kato left the room.

"Until we meet again Hornet," Sapphire whispered, while his thugs looked on.

"Later Johnny," the Hornet uttered as he and the Shadow simultaneously nodded to every gangster in the room. And with that they were gone.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

The next morning, as Lenore Case walked into the Daily Sentinel, Mike Axford stood waiting for her at her desk.

"Mornin', Casey," Axford declared.

"Morning, Mike. You're sure here early," the secretary acknowledged.

"Just pickin' somethin' up for the crime beat. Say, Reid wants to see you in his office."

"Thanks, Mike, I'll go in there in a moment."

"Right, well bye, Casey," Mike offered with a final smile as he walked to the elevator.

"Bye, Mike," Casey smiled as she approached Reid's office.

As she knocked on the office door, it suddenly opened. Casey looked at her boss and saw a look of cold anger in his eyes. At that moment, she realized something was wrong.

"You wanted to see me?"

"Get in here," Reid howled with urgency.

As she stepped in the office, Reid promptly ordered her to shut the door.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Casey asked, slightly worried as she closed the door and took a seat across from her boss.

"Casey, last night was inexcusable. How did you get yourself into that situation? Where were you?"

"I was at dinner with Henry," Casey informed innocently.

"Henry, the detective? So it's Henry now?"

"You are jealous," Casey accused.

"What?" Reid saw that she was missing the point. "No, Casey, I just want to make sure you're okay. For crying out loud, Kato and I had to bail you out."

"I'm fine Boss, stop worrying," Casey said.

"You're only fine because I saved you. I'll have Kato watch over you tonight," Reid informed.

"That won't be necessary," Casey argued.

"I'm not giving you a choice. I need you safe while I put an end to this crazed jewel thief. He only kidnapped you because you work for the paper. He was going to use you as a bargaining chip to keep the paper quiet."

"Well, if I'm to be kept in safety with Kato, what are you going to do?"

"I have an idea. I'm going to give them what they want. I'm going to turn myself into this racket."

"Are you mad?" Casey uttered with slight laughter. "If you're not going in as the Green Hornet and Kato is going to watch me, how will you stop them?"

"I've got a friend, at least I think he's a friend. One thing I am sure of is that he believes in justice and believes in doing what is right."

"Who is he? Why haven't you mentioned him before?"

"He's another masked vigilante. He calls himself the Shadow," Reid informed.

"The Shadow? Wow, and does he parade around as a criminal like you?"

"No."

"Well, where did he come from?"

"I'm not certain but he may be new in town, or from out of town. He mentioned something about the Hornet being a legend in this town."

"Well, it certainly sounds like he's from out of town. Are you going to arrange a meeting with him?"

"I won't have to. He knows where to find the Green Hornet. He's been visiting the garage quite frequently lately. I don't think there will be a problem," Reid said, just as Gunnigan barged in the office.

"Sorry to bother you, Boss, but a Mr. Arnaud is here to see you."

"Henry!" Casey uttered with delight, immediately looking in a mirror on the office wall, trying desperately to fix her hair.

"Yes, Gunnigan, show him in," Reid ordered, slightly sneering toward Casey.

Moments later, the familiarly odd mustached, plain suited detective entered the room.

"Ah, Mr. Arnaud," Reid said as the man walked up behind Casey.

"Hello, Darling," Arnaud greeted Casey in a bright chipper tone. "I'm glad to see your well, especially after last night."

"Henry, is that all you can say? I was kidnapped by a band of racketeers and all you can say is your glad to see me? You didn't even try to contact me at all."

"Well, darling I don't know what to say," Arnaud uttered, placing his hands in his jacket pockets.

"Just take me to lunch and we'll call it even," Casey smiled.

"Honey, you've got yourself a deal," the detective agreed excitedly.

"That's enough Casey," Britt Reid butted in. "Mr. Arnaud, your obviously here for a reason. Can I help you?"

Suddenly Casey realized that the men were going to talk business and hastily left Reid's office to return to work. Arnaud took a seat adjacent to Reid's desk.

"Now that there aren't anymore distractions," Britt started, "what can I do for you."

"Well, Mr. Reid, I apologize for dropping by unannounced like this. I'm aware that as a newspaperman you hear things. Now, just because you've signed some document that says you can't print any stories about these jewel thieves, that doesn't mean you don't know anything. So to be frank, I'm here to find out what you know."

Britt Reid thought about what he was hearing. Finally, looking sternly at the man that had just entered his office, he spoke. "Mr. Arnaud, I appreciate your concern for this issue, but my concerns lie in the latest stories. This jewel racket has been old news for sometime. I wish I could help you, but… Oh listen to me, now who's being frank? The bottom line is I have no information for you."

"Well, that's a shame," Arnaud spoke as he rose up out of the chair. I know you're a busy man and I want to thank you for your time. I won't bother you again."

"That's fine," Reid offered. "I'm always happy to help inquisitive minds, Mr. Arnaud. Goodbye."

"Goodbye, Mr. Reid, and thank you again," the detective finally offered before walking out of the office.

* * *

That night, the Green Hornet and Kato were in their hideout, behind Britt Reid's apartment, and were going over the night's plans. "I just talked to Casey. I told her you'd be over at her apartment in half an hour. Get going. I'm going to stick around and wait for our friend," the Hornet uttered as he folded up a map that led Johnny Sapphire's hideout.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

The Green Hornet waited in the hideout, waiting for the mysterious man known as the Shadow. Without warning or notice, the mysterious figure of the Shadow appeared next to a far wall. The Green Hornet immediately noticed as the Shadow came out of the dimly lit corner.

"You've been showing up here a lot lately," the Hornet announced.

"Yes, Hornet. You seem to be my only link to this jewel fiend," the Shadow hissed.

"My aid, Kato, and I have devised a plan. It's obvious that Johnny Sapphire is after someone; a newspaper publisher named Britt Reid. Sapphire isn't going to leave Detroit until he has gotten his big score. I visited Reid's home last night. We're going to use him as bait and I'm going to drop him off at Sapphire's hideout. But don't worry, I convinced him to cooperate. Sapphire and his gang are planning something soon and we need to bring him down before he does anymore property damage, thefts or worse."

"Get to the point Hornet. What's my angle in this?"

"I need you to protect Reid. You see, after I drop Reid off at the hideout, I'm going to be following up on another lead. I'll join you as soon as I can."

"I see," said the Shadow, piecing together the Hornet's logical plan.

"Yes. Now Reid is going to move through the front of the church, raising as much attention as he can. These racketeers will respond and I'll need you to slip in quietly and take them out. But there is one stipulation."

"And what is that." The Shadow pondered.

"No killing. These men need to see the long arm of the law."

"I agree, Hornet. So at what time should I be there?"

"One hour should be enough time to get ready."

"One hour it is then," the Shadow acknowledged, and with that he seemed to melt back into the dark corner from where he came.

* * *

The night was foggy as the Black Beauty pulled into an abandoned lot that was less than a quarter mile from the abandoned cathedral that served as the current hideout for the Sapphire gang. Britt Reid hastily exited the car and began a heavy jog towards his quarry's lair. As he ran, Reid thought of the Shadow and how thankful he was that this mysterious avenger of crime had come to the city and helped with these jewel thieves.

Moments later, as he came upon the place, he swiftly approached the large sanctuary doors, hesitating only for a second to think about what to do next. As he opened the sanctuary doors, he stepped inside and screamed, "Is anyone here?"

Immediately, just as Reid had planned it, two goons armed with automatic pistols entered the elegantly spacious sanctuary.

"Well, what do we have here?" a thug muttered, keeping his gun trained on Reid. "Quick, O'Neil, tell the Boss we've got Britt Reid. This is going to make him very happy."

With that, the hired stooge known as O'Neil left the sanctuary en route to one of the back rooms. The other henchman moved closer to Reid, his gun still trained on the poor newspaperman.

"Don't worry, Reid," the goon muttered. "The Boss is going to take good care of you."

With that the goon moved behind Reid and slammed the butt of his gun on Reid's neck, forcing him to fall to the ground unconscious.

* * *

Sometime later, Britt Reid sat bound and gagged to a chair in the very center of the cathedral basement. As he looked around, he noticed that the huge room resembled more of a warehouse than a basement. The dingy gray walls were lined with long metal tables and large crates that no doubt contained the gang's loot. There were several doors that lead to storage rooms and in the center of the far wall of the basement was an elevator that led to upper floors f the church.

Britt Reid felt a hand grip his neck from behind, pulling off the gag. Suddenly a man stood the nefarious Johnny Sapphire stared him in the face.

"I apologize for the gag Mr. Reid. Now tell me, how did you find this place?"

"I was abducted from my home," Reid uttered, trying to act afraid. "The Green Hornet kidnapped me and brought me here. He said something about how I was an added bonus."

"And what a sweet bonus you are. I had paid off the cops and every newspaper in the city to keep quiet about my activities," Sapphire spoke, lighting up a cigarette and the continuing. "So far you've been quiet, but as the biggest paper in the city, I was always a little nervous about you, given your reputation. I wanted you and now the Hornet has brought you to me."

"Are you going to kill me?" Reid asked.

"I just might do that, but then again, you'd make one hell of a ransom. Say, just what do you know about me and my gang?"

"I know that you have pulled several jewel heists all over the city. I know that the cops can't find you. So help me Sapphire, if I get out of here alive, I will expose you, so help me, God."

"Well, I was hoping we could be friends, Mr. Reid, but now you've hurt my feelings," Sapphire uttered sarcastically. As one of his henchmen handed him a revolver, the gangster aimed the gun at Reid's head. "Say goodbye Reid."

Without warning, a sinister yet familiar laugh echoed across the entire basement.

"Boss, what's that?" a frightened thug exclaimed.

"He's here," Sapphire informed as he recognized the insane laughter of the Shadow.

"It's the Shadow, boys," another goon exclaimed. "Boss, what do we do?"

"Put Reid in one of the storage rooms. Keep him bound to the chair," Sapphire ordered. "And somebody bring out the big guns. We've got a shadow to catch."

The laughter continued, growing louder and louder. As the thugs carried Britt Reid away, putting the bound man into an old and empty storeroom, other henchmen brought out heavy machine guns and automatic rifles to combat the despicable Shadow.

* * *

Moments later as Britt Reid sat alone is the dimly lit storeroom, he slipped a small razorblade from out of his left shirt sleeve and began filing down the rope that bound his hands to the hard wooden chair. Once free, he removed the ropes and immediately began positioning some small metal crates near the back wall in a stair step pattern. . In his mind, Britt had no time to lose; Johnny Sapphire had many well-armed goons and the Shadow was brutally outnumbered. As Britt finished stacking them, he quickly climbed up the makeshift stairs as high as he could. Reaching the ceiling, he dislocated one of the panels and climbed through

As he made his way through the ceiling, he found a dirty ventilation shaft that led to the sanctuary. He didn't have much time. He had to get to the Black Beauty, don the costume of the Green Hornet and quickly return to the old church to aid the Shadow in the gang's capture. He began crawling through the vents and eventually came to the end. Dislodging the ventilation screen, he climbed through and thus entered the dark sanctuary of the church. He promptly looked around to see if any of Sapphire's goons could be found guarding the entrance. No one was in sight. Wasting no more time, he ran to the large sanctuary doors, threw them open and began running as fast as he could to get to the Black Beauty.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Minutes later, the sinister figure of the dreaded Green Hornet crept around the outside of the church, looking for any entrance he could find into the basement. As he stalked in the shadows, he noticed a small, partially boarded up basement window. Peering inside, he noticed what were probably a dozen men sprawled out all over the basement floor. Only a few men were left, haphazardly firing their weapons into the air, as the Shadow was nowhere to be seen, however the Hornet could hear the mysterious and mocking laughter all over the room. Deciding it was time to act, the Hornet hurriedly removed the dilapidated boards from the window and climbed inside.

Once he had entered the place, he remained unnoticed on account of the loud and chaotic gunfire. He suddenly spotted Johnny Sapphire at the far side of the basement and stealthily ran up behind him, tapping him on the shoulder. As the surprised racketeer turned around, he jumped backward, loudly ordering his men to cease-fire. As the gunfire stopped, all became quiet. Sapphire spoke.

"Well, look who finally decided to show. You know, Hornet, I really want to thank you for delivering Britt Reid to us."

"Save it, Johnny," the Hornet replied, looking very angry. "What is this, some kind of double cross?"

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean," Sapphire argued.

"I delivered that publisher to you as a sign of good faith, and you go off and shoot up the place, trying to kill one of my guys."

"Oh, you mean that Shadow character. But, Hornet, he was going to interfere when I tried to kill Britt Reid. Besides, look what he did to several of my men," Sapphire countered, pointing out several of his men unconscious on the floor.

"I'm sure he acted in self defense, I mean judging by all of the ammo shells on the floor, your men were trying to kill him. Anyway, forget it" the Hornet said, not wishing to argue any further. "Show me Britt Reid. I have something to discuss with him."

"No problem, Hornet, he's in one of the storerooms."

"That's fine. Take me to him," the Hornet requested in an almost heated tone.

With that, the Hornet, Johnny Sapphire and the few remaining henchmen walked to the storeroom that was supposed to contain Britt Reid. As they opened the door, some of the henchmen discovered that Reid was gone.

"Look, Boss," one of them exclaimed. "Reid flew the coup."

"Go find the bastard," Sapphire ordered his men angrily.

"Not so fast. Nobody move," the Hornet demanded, pulling his gas gun. "I knew this was a double cross."

"Oh, come on, Hornet. We didn't double cross you," Sapphire said, desperately trying to sound convincing. "Anyway boys, go find Reid. He mustn't escape."

"No. If anyone moves, you get the gas," the Hornet declared.

"Well, Mr. Sapphire is the Boss. We gotta do as he says," one goon chimed in, attempting to leave the room.

Suddenly, the Hornet shot the man with the thick mist that was the Hornet gas, causing the man to drop to the floor. One of the other thugs instantly tried to retaliate, but was knocked backward by a mysterious force. Instantly, the fiendish black cloak of the Shadow materialized in the small storeroom, as if it had come from nowhere. As the shadow began his unsettling laughter, Johnny Sapphire rapidly gripped a diamond-handled revolver and began to aim, but the Shadow seemed to float forward, knocking the gun from his hand.

Another goon sharply lunged for the Hornet, but was met with a hard blow to the jaw. Without warning, a third crook attempted to grab the Shadow from behind but the Shadow's gloved fist gave a hard blow to the man's face. All of a sudden, it appeared that Sapphire was alone. The Shadow and the Hornet had neutralized every single hired thug. These two mysterious avengers of crime instantly united against the gangster, cornering him in the room. The Hornet shot his gun and the gangster was instantaneously enveloped in the gas, dropping to the floor.

From out of nowhere, they instantly heard police sirens. The Green Hornet smiled, as he knew that Kato must have tipped the cops off to the whereabouts of this wretched gang. As the sirens grew louder, the Hornet began to get slightly nervous.

"That's our cue to leave," The Hornet acknowledged.

The Shadow stood completely still, momentarily resembling a statue. As the room fell completely quiet, the Shadow suddenly disappeared. The Green Hornet grinned, placing a Hornet seal on Johnny Sapphire's forehead.

"That's one way of doing things," he uttered to himself, before quickly climbing up the makeshift crate stairs and into the ceiling, out of sight.

* * *

The next morning, Mike Axford and Gunnigan sat in Britt Reid's office at the Daily Sentinel, talking to their boss. Mike Axford was especially keyed up.

"We're putting this beauty of a story out in all three editions of today's paper," Axford exclaimed in his usual overzealous voice. "I can't believe that the cops said that they found the Hornet seal on that Sapphire guy."

"Well, it was a good story, Axford," Reid declared. "You deserve all the credit."

"Thanks, Reid," Axford obliged, "but I still can't believe that the Hornet captured you. You must have been so frightened."

"I will admit it was a bit unsettling," Reid chuckled, "but the good news is, we got our story."

"Sufferin' snakes, Reid, you could have been killed."

"Oh come off it Axford," Gunnigan chimed in. "The boss is all right now."

"That I am, Gunnigan. And you know, I like to believe that no crime in this city could ever be solved without help from the Sentinel. I have a great staff."

"Thanks a lot, Boss," Gunnigan and Axford said in unison.

Abruptly, Miss Case rang in on the intercom. "Mr. Reid?"

"Go ahead Miss Case," Reid replied looking at his two employees from across the desk.

"Henry is here to see you. Oh and he brought me a box of chocolates," the secretary giggled before signing off.

"Send Henry in," Reid said playfully. "You two need to get back to work," he pronounced with sternness to Axford and Gunnigan.

"That we do Reid, that we do." Axford said with glee as he and Gunnigan left the office and Henry Arnaud entered.

"Well, Mr. Arnaud, I must admit, I wasn't expecting to see you again," Reid greeted the familiar man with the familiarly odd mustache and the plain suit.

"Yes, well I just read your front page story and wanted to congratulate you and your paper for being the first to get all the facts," the tall man offered.

"Thank you. Did your investigation help bring any of these facts?" Reid inquired.

"Well, no actually. I abandoned the case and started another investigation. Mr. Reid, allow me to be blunt. I know who the Green Hornet is."

"You do? Well, that will certainly make a great story. Who is it?"

"It's you," the tall and odd-looking man uttered with a smile.

"Me? Now, that's a laugh if I ever heard one."

"Yes, it would be funny, Mr. Reid, but I'm not laughing."

"What proof do you have?" Reid uttered defensively.

I know about the secret building where you keep your car and I know about your assistant," Arnaud informed sternly.

"And what do you plan to do with this information, Mr. Arnaud?"

"Don't worry over it, Reid. I admire your courage. Your secret is safe with me."

"Well, while we are on the subject of vigilantes, I have to confess I know your secret as well," Reid informed with a shock.

"What secret is that," Arnaud asked with a grin.

"I know that you are the Shadow," Britt Reid paused for a moment. "Only, you are not just the Shadow, but a master of disguise. I know your mustache is fake. The truth is, I don't know your real identity, but I do know that Henry Arnaud is an alias you use. And this is just one of many I am betting."

"And how did you acquire this information, Reid?" Arnaud said with a sneer.

"My aid, Kato has been keeping tabs on you at your hotel."

"So, I suppose you are going to publish my secret?" Arnaud asked, snickering lightly.

"I won't tell if you won't," Reid offered with a smile.

"Deal," Arnaud declared, extending his hand.

With that, Britt Reid firmly gripped the man's hand.

"Just one thing I want you to do for me," Arnaud requested.

"What's that?"

"Take care of Lenore Case for me."

"Of course, I will," Reid promised.

"With these jewel heists solved, I guess I'll go back to where I came from."

"And where is that?" Reid asked.

"Only the Shadow knows," Arnaud said with a smile, straightening his suit and waving goodbye as he calmly left the office.

The End


End file.
